Sunday, February 5, 2012

A lesson for devotees and pilgrims to learn

Haridwar, February 5
While millions throng Haridwar to take a dip in the holy Ganga, many of them leave behind waste material at Ganga ghats, not even thinking what wrong they are doing.

Though Ganga Sabha and other agencies maintain these ghats, the devotees, pilgrims and tourists should themselves realise the importance of the sanctity of these ghats.

Despite several cleaning drives and projects being carried out, the responsibility of the citizens to keep the ghats clean is imperative. A physically handicapped man, who selflessly is seen cleaning Ganga ghats on his own, is giving one such message, far from media limelight.

This man, despite being disabled, cleans the Ganga ghats with his legs and also manages to do it with his affected hands.

But when one asks his name and about his social service, this man doesn’t reveal but goes on doing his job. He points out that he does not want any media coverage, nor is he doing it for any firm but he himself realises that the ghats of the holy Ganga, which is worshipped by billions, needs to be cleaned so that the pilgrims get a clean ghat to take the holy dip.

Though he accepts that people wash clothes and use detergents, soaps, shampoos, which should not be done as these affect the sanctity of the ghats and impurifies the holy Ganga water, he makes sure that he is the first one to carry out the cleaning job before he asks others.

Seeing the commitment of this man, many people also make sure that they clean the ghats and remove the litter and plastic material. Many people are seen not using soaps while bathing.

Teerth purohits and hawkers who see this man doing the voluntary work on a regular basis are all praise for him and say that slowly but in a silent and effective way he is conveying the message, and many point out that it is not only about having a budget for cleaning the Ganga. Strong will and awareness will do much more than that.